The Ho West District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Victor Ernest Apau, says the present political climate was negatively affecting the nation’s development.
He said the constantly charged political environment had led to the concentration of resources around party structures and communication machinery at the expense of national progression.
The DCE was addressing the opening of a consultative meeting in Ho with key stakeholders on enhancing the participation of women in local governance, organised by Abantu for Development, a gender-focused non-profit.
He said the situation helped produce an infinite stream of propaganda that flooded the government’s development efforts.
“The political climate is affecting our development. We treat every day as an election year. Everyday somebody should put some lies in the public for political parties to demystify, and it has become difficult to change the political orientation of Ghanaians.
“It looks like every time, the Government is in trouble. Whenever it wants to climb it will be pulled down, and a lot of resources are spent on communicators at the Party level,” Mr. Apau stated.
The DCE called for responsible opposition and constructive criticism instead of bland criticisms that offered no alternatives.
He spoke on the lack of cohesion among the various individual structures of the Assembly, and said political appointees were selected based on respected wisdom to fill leadership gaps not addressed by elections, therefore prime stakeholders including traditional authority and political parties should help them ensure the needed development progress.
“Political parties need to talk to their appointees to help with development. Some good DCEs are being removed for personal gain. We should seek the interest of the larger masses than a few who have so much to say”.
The meeting was to encourage more women to join the race for Assembly membership and was attended by current and aspiring Assembly members from the Ho and surrounding districts.
Madam Hamida Harrison, who led the NGO, said development participation was the right of every citizen, and urged women to develop courage, and self-confidence.
“You have a right as a woman to participate in governance based on your rights based on the protocols Ghana has adopted,” she said, asking women to equip themselves to be able to take up leadership positions in the country.
Madam Harrison said the District Assembly remained the training ground for women, who should therefore be given the opportunity.
Abantu, as part of its activities, mentors and trains women to join the assembly race, and supports them with some campaign materials.
